The OpenOffice Project has released OpenOffice 2.4, an open source office suite for Linux, Solaris, and Windows that saves all its files as zipped XML. New features in 2.4 include:
- Connect to WebDAV servers via HTTPS
- Custom icons for toolbars are imported
- Control password-storing with a master password
- Warning if document is from a newer ODF
- PDF documents: relative links, document references, PDF/A-1 (ISO 19005-1) supported, and cross-document link behavior options
- Mac OS X: Quicktime support for movies and sound / use the built in spell checker
- Print dialog improvements in usability
- Edit boxes: warning at limit of characters
- DejaVu font is now default instead of BitStream Vera
Localisation
- Entries for 10 languages added
Base / DBA
- Improved rendering of numeric(n) data from JDBC and Oracle
- Easier choice of table name in "Copy table"
- Editing of views in HSQLDB
- Query designer for all properties which allow SQL command
- Query designer in SQL view
- Relation design accessible for MySQL databases
- Setting to check for required fields on forms
- Support for Access 2007 (.accdb files)
Calc
- Convert text to columns: with this feature CSV data inside cells can be transformed into columns directly
- Columns and rows in spreadsheet can be moved with drag and drop
- Enter key returns to the column where the input started, one row below
- Formula input: "+" and "-" can also be used to start
- Individual zoom level per sheet
- AutoFilter: choices clearer grouped and based on result of filtering in other columns
- DataPilot: Manual Sorting / Double-click in DataPilot cell provides calculation data of that cell
- Performance improvement with functions VLOOKUP and MATCH
- Print dialog for Calc easier to use
- PageUp and PageDown keys work in print preview
- Sheet names in cell-hyperlinks: renamed properly
Chart
- Regression curves: show equations and R² value
- Reverse axes possible
- Bars on different axes displayed next to each other
- Data labels: Number format
- Data point label: display both value and percentage
- Data label: display each part in a separate line
- Data labels: more flexible placement of labels
- Labels on pie segments: avoiding overlapping
- Data point label: can be removed with delete key
Draw
- Navigation (tab) order of page objects
- PDF export: page names as bookmark
- Reduce complexity: no longer necessary display options removed
Impress
- Navigation (tab) order of page objects
- Thrilling 3D effects in slide transitions
- Export slide names as PDF bookmarks
- Easier to insert background picture
Writer
- Selecting rectangular region of text
- Find and Replace: backward references in regular expressions
- Spell checking: easier selecting of the language
- Insert&Insert Object toolbar redesign - Writer
- Printing of hidden text can be turned on
- Printing text place holders can be turned off
- Shortcuts added for paragraph style Heading 4, Heading 5 and Textbody
- Ctrl-click behaviour for hyperlinks can be changed
- Custom document properties: Text fields and UI support
Extensions/ programmability / API
- Extensible Help System for extensions
- Extensions can have a separate display name
- Extensions: support of web based update
- Extensions: additional information about the publisher and release notes
- Extensions: check for updates
- Dialogs can have a wallpaper set
- Transparent background for controls
- Remote control presentations via API
- API: get selected table(s) or query(s) in the main Base window
